System and Method for Controlling a Remote Aerial Device for Up-Close Inspection

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely controlling a remote aerial device for up-close inspection of an object, the method comprising: receiving spatial position data indicating a spatial position of the remote aerial device, the spatial position data including a geographic location and an altitude of the spatial position of the remote aerial device; controlling, using the spatial data, the remote aerial device to move to an initial target location in a transitory mode at a first speed, wherein the initial target location is in proximity to a portion of the object to be inspected; and controlling the remote aerial device in proximity to the object to be inspected in an inspection mode by: receiving, from one or more sensors of the remote aerial device, proximal sensor data indicating one or more directions toward one or more proximal obstructions, each proximal obstruction being located within a distance threshold of the remote aerial device; determining a plurality of incremental movement directions based at least in part upon the proximal sensor data, each incremental movement direction indicating potential non-obstructed movement of the remote aerial device of a fixed distance in a direction; receiving, at a remote control module, a selection of one of the plurality of incremental movement directions; and controlling the remote aerial device to move at a second speed to a new target location based upon the selected incremental movement direction.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second speed is slower than the first speed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second speed is adjustable by a user via the remote control module.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fixed distance of the plurality of incremental movement directions is proportional to the second speed.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the remote aerial device in proximity to the object comprises controlling the remote aerial device within twelve to eighteen inches of the object.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting a plurality of images of the object while the remote aerial device is controlled in the inspection mode.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the remote aerial device to move to the initial target location in the transitory mode comprises selecting, via a user interface, an indication of global positioning system (GPS) coordinates and an altitude.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the remote aerial device in the inspection mode further comprises: causing the remote aerial device to stabilize at the initial target location until the selection of the incremental movement direction is received; and causing the remote aerial device to stabilize at the new target location until a further selection of an incremental movement direction is received.

9. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for remotely controlling a remote aerial device for up-close subject inspection that, when executed by one or more processors of a computer system, cause the computer system to: receive spatial position data indicating a spatial position of the remote aerial device, the spatial position data including a geographic location and an altitude of the spatial position of the remote aerial device; control the remote aerial device to move to an initial target location in a transitory mode at a first speed using the spatial data, wherein the initial target location is in proximity to a portion of the object to be inspected; and control the remote aerial device in proximity to the object to be inspected in an inspection mode by: receiving, from one or more sensors of the remote aerial device, proximal sensor data indicating one or more directions toward one or more proximal obstructions, each proximal obstruction being located within a distance threshold of the remote aerial device; determining a plurality of incremental movement directions based at least in part upon the proximal sensor data, each incremental movement direction indicating potential non-obstructed movement of the remote aerial device of a fixed distance in a direction; receiving, at a remote control module, a selection of one of the plurality of incremental movement directions; and controlling the remote aerial device to move at a second speed to a new target location based upon the selected incremental movement direction.

10. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the second speed is slower than the first speed.

11. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the second speed is adjustable by a user via the remote control module.

12. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the fixed distance of the plurality of incremental movement directions is proportional to the second speed.

13. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to control the remote aerial device in the inspection mode further cause the computer system by: causing the remote aerial device to collect a plurality of images of the object while the remote aerial device is controlled in the inspection mode.

14. The tangible, non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to control the remote aerial device in the inspection mode further cause the computer system by: causing the remote aerial device to stabilize at the initial target location until the selection of the incremental movement direction is received; and causing the remote aerial device to stabilize at the new target location until a further selection of an incremental movement direction is received.

15. A computer system for remotely controlling a remote aerial device for up-close subject inspection, comprising: a remote aerial device having one or more sensors; a remote control module having one or more processors; and a program memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computer system to: receive spatial position data indicating a spatial position of the remote aerial device, the spatial position data including a geographic location and an altitude of the spatial position of the remote aerial device; control the remote aerial device to move to an initial target location in a transitory mode at a first speed using the spatial data, wherein the initial target location is in proximity to a portion of the object to be inspected; and control the remote aerial device in proximity to the object to be inspected in an inspection mode by: receiving, from one or more sensors of the remote aerial device, proximal sensor data indicating one or more directions toward one or more proximal obstructions, each proximal obstruction being located within a distance threshold of the remote aerial device; determining a plurality of incremental movement directions based at least in part upon the proximal sensor data, each incremental movement direction indicating potential non-obstructed movement of the remote aerial device of a fixed distance in a direction; receiving, at a remote control module, a selection of one of the plurality of incremental movement directions; and controlling the remote aerial device to move at a second speed to a new target location based upon the selected incremental movement direction.

16. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the second speed is slower than the first speed.

17. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the second speed is adjustable by a user via the remote control module.

18. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the fixed distance of the plurality of incremental movement directions is proportional to the second speed.

19. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to control the remote aerial device in the inspection mode further cause the computer system by: causing the remote aerial device to collect a plurality of images of the object while the remote aerial device is controlled in the inspection mode.

20. The computer system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions that cause the computer system to control the remote aerial device in the inspection mode further cause the computer system by: causing the remote aerial device to stabilize at the initial target location until the selection of the incremental movement direction is received; and causing the remote aerial device to stabilize at the new target location until a further selection of an incremental movement direction is received.